Here are 5 highly worthy TV series "pilot" episodes, including 3 that for some reason didn't click with a network or sponsor, plus a charming TV sitcom with a venerable star and a gritty detective show that did. — THE JANE ... more &raquoPOWELL SHOW (1961) 32m pilot for an unsold Four Star TV sitcom starring the great Jane Powell about a big city actress-singer who marries a math professor (Russell Johnson, the Professor on "Gilligan's Island") and tries to fit into his professional life at small town college.

MUNROE (1963) 25m pilot that was unsold, unaired and lost, but still amusing about a lovable army K-9 Corp mutt who tangles with a cat and a lion loose on an army base. Cast includes veteran TV faces Guy Marks, Jan Stine, Joan Freeman, James Flavin and Sig Ruman.

MEET McGRAW (1954) 29m episode of Four Star Playhouse aired Feb. 25, 1954 stars Frank Lovejoy as a hard-hitting private eye. An ambitious femme fatale (Audrey Totter) hires McGraw as protection from many tangled webs she has woven. Terrific script with clever plot twists. Though not intended as a pilot, the smart script and clever plot twists led to the popular character being spun off into the 1957-'58 popular series "Meet McGraw" (aka. Adventures of McGraw) with Lovejoy.

MAGGIE (1960) 30m pilot about married actors (Leon Ames and Fay Baker) and their imaginative teenage daughter (Margaret O'Brien) relocating from Manhattan to Connecticut and clashing with the relaxed suburban culture and their new neighbors. This episode aired on 8/30/1960 during a CBS summer series "The Comedy Spot" that ran unsold pilots. Produced by the legendary George Burns, with original commercials.

THE ED WYNN SHOW (1958) 33m amiable sitcom starring beloved comedian Ed Wynn who had pioneered a TV variety show in 1949-'50 years before this pilot. At show's conclusion Ed addresses the home audience on a sound stage about his new career move and hopes for this series, which sadly only ran for 16 episodes.&laquo less